BD Newsletter

By Brad Durham

John’s (not his real name) basement apartment for $500 a month.

When I first met John (not his real name) on April 17 of this year, it was at a McDonald’s. The free Wi-Fi and a place to sit for a while provided a port in the storm of his homelessness. John told me he was exhausted from walking day and night, with nowhere to stay and desperately searching for work. Even when someone offered him a tent, he didn’t have a place to safely pitch it. Yesterday, McMinnville Action To Create Housing (MATCH), a nonprofit committed to helping our unhoused neighbors secure permanent supportive housing, assisted John in paying a month’s rent for his new apartment.

ENDED HIS OWN HOMELESSNESS

John is 32 years old. Due to unfortunate circumstances—some of which he acknowledges were of his own making—he bounced in and out of homelessness for the past 11 years. His determination to find work and address back child support payments ultimately motivated him to find both a job and an apartment. All John needed going into September was $500 to cover his first month of rent in a basement apartment.

A few weeks ago, he started working at an industry in McMinnville. Without a place to stay, he slept right outside on the property. Fortunately, he knew someone nearby, within walking distance of his job, who agreed to rent him a basement apartment after he spent two weeks sleeping outside the building.

Where John slept overnight before working a full shift — without a sleeping bag or cushion,

HOW MATCH HELPED

MATCH is covering his first month’s rent OF $500, which will enable John to address the child support payments he struggled to make while homeless and looking for work. Moving forward, John will be able to pay his full rent and child support. In September, he has a court date concerning the child support payments, which he has significantly reduced since starting work a few weeks ago. He hopes to catch up on these payments, allowing him to continue working and paying his rent.

UCHRA PROVIDES SUPPORT

John credits UCHRA with providing support.

John credits a member of the UCHRA staff for providing essential supportive services. He said, “I meet with a lady every Tuesday about child support. She works with UT and UCHRA. When I was homeless and searching for a job, she communicated with the court about my efforts. She is my advocate, a professional who documented my job-search progress. She provided me with gift cards each week for food and gas. She even helped me purchase a new bike for $286! When I had nothing, she helped me get through the week.”

John is the second unhoused neighbor in McMinnville that MATCH has assisted in moving into housing in the past week. This initiative is part of an evidence-based solution to homelessness presented by MATCH in the film BEYOND THE BRIDGE, earlier this year at the Park Theater.

HOMELESS SUMMIT IN OCTOBER

MATCH plans to host a Homeless Summit in October to jumpstart collaboration and fundraising aimed at developing both supportive services and a housing search team, along with private rental subsidies. Everyone in McMinnville will be invited to the Homeless Summit, with the date and location to be announced soon.